25 November 2013

From all the science fiction things I've read one of the feelings that remains is that the characters' emotions are shown a bit in a rigid way. This depends on authors and books, of course, but the impression that the scientific aspects give a patina of coldness and distance to a narration keeps on appearing in my mind. Following this idea, I wanted to write a science fiction story but reinforcing its emotional side. From that attempt comes this short narration, the story of a reunion under the rain. I won't advance you more, because it's really short. The illustration, titled A robot girl washes in the rain, is a creation of David Finley.

ARRIVED WITH THE RAIN

Their eyes manage to meet through the downpour's noiy confusion.

—Did you understood it at last? —asks the woman, imposing her voice over the shower's.

The android doesn't even blink, undaunted by the drops drenching her. After a few seconds, she answers with her perfectly modulated words.

—The shape doesn't matter. Nor the fact of being or not organic.

The woman listens attentive, hopeful. Her breath is abated, because she feels the moment close. Very close. The artificial being rises her hands, contemplates how the liquid element pours over her palms. Then she closes and puts them over her chest. Her face looks at the sky while her words begin to sound different.

More warm, more emotive, more... Human.

—Is to have an own will, to experiment, to share, to be in contact with others. Is... The voyage —she lowers her face and smiles—. And I've traveled a lot.

Those gestures, very far from the coldness she showed in the past, overwhelm the woman. The words, the emotions gathering in her voice... She gets closer to the artificial female and caresses the cheek where wet locks of hair are sticked.

She's not imagining that moment, it's truly happening, but she must be sure.

She hugs the human. She does it with the affection she was unable before. She speaks to her ear.

—I spent them paying my return ticket to here.

The woman's tears mix with the translucent pearls from the sky. She's irremediably happy. Her creation, her daughter, has made it. She strongly gives the hug back and then looks for that face she knows so well. Those eyes are not unexpressive anymore, she can feel the person behind them. For a minute they stare intensely at each other and, finally, the woman finds the words to fill that moment.